Penn State Football: Spring Practice Storylines That Matter

Penn State football spring practice is here; let’s take a look at the storylines that matter – what’s the big deal, what to worry about, and what’s all set.

Shhhhh. Penn State might actually be the Big Ten East team to watch …

Penn State might not have created the flash, the splash, or the results of the other Big Ten East big boys last year, but remember, it’s still a process to get Penn State back among the elite. James Franklin has come up with the good-enough recruiting classes to get the talent in place, and now there aren’t any excuses.

The program is far enough removed from the nightmare of a few years ago to star being a bigger factor again on the field, and this year’s team has the potential to be great thanks to a favorable schedule – Ohio State and Michigan State come to Happy Valley – and with 17 starters returning, including the kickers.

There’s talent and there are plenty of options to come up with some great position battles, but it’s going to a lot of work to get everyone on the same page with former Fordham head coach Joe Moorhead taking over the offensive coordinator job and Brent Pry moving up the ranks to fill in at defensive coordinator with Bob Shoop gone.

The best part about this spring? The expectations aren’t at an unrealistic level – yet. Franklin has to produce, but considering what a monster the program is, it’ll be able to lay low compared to Michigan and Ohio State in terms of hype. Penn State just might be able to sneak up on everyone, but this has to be a strong spring to settle several key spots.

No one is worried about …

The offensive line. Really? The line that sent Christian Hackenberg off to the NFL all battered and bruised, and couldn’t generate a lick of consistent rushing production, is going to be a positive? Yeah, with four starters back, a ton of talented depth, and a key addition stepping in to pull it all together in Matt Limegrover from Minnesota.

The Gopher offensive line was always a positive, and now Penn State’s should grow into something terrific by the end of the season as long as the starting five can be figured out soon. Even with the veterans returning, nothing is going to be set in stone.

Extra attention must be given to …

The defensive line. The quarterback situation is front-and-center with Hackenberg gone, but Trace McSorley showed just enough at times to make him the odds-on favorite. New recruit Jake Zembiec is in camp early, and Tommy Stevens will get his chances, but making sure the line is right is the offense’s first step in camp.

The defensive line that was so special last season could be the biggest concern with all-star Carl Nassib gone from the outside and with the terrific tackle tandem of Anthony Zettel and Austin Johnson off to the next level.

Six starters in the back seven return, and end Garrett Sickels is back up front, but it’s going to take a while to find the right rotation, especially one that can match the production of three NFL-caliber linemen who helped the D finish 14th in the nation.